Our Favorite THON Photos from THON Hoops

With 19 days to go until the beginning of THON Weekend 2014, over 70 THON families made an advance trip to the Bryce Jordan Center for the annual THON Hoops. The event consisted of festivities held in the BJC practice gym, followed by a men’s basketball game between Penn State and Purdue.

This little guy was practicing his free throws, in case he was needed for clutch, late-game conversions from the charity stripe. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)That’s pretty good shooting form — perhaps she has a future with the Lady Lions basketball team?Penn State wide receiver Jake Kiley crosses over a THON child in a pickup game of basketball. Take it easy, there, will you? (Photo by: Bobby Chen)Family Relations Captain Aly Young plays games with THON children. (Photo by: Bobby Chen.)Young takes a brief timeout to fix a THON child’s bow. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)Receiver Matt Zanellato makes a new friend. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)Fight on State! (Photo by: Bobby Chen)And again from a different angle. (Photo by: Anna Ungar)Two Penn State cheerleaders hanging out before the game. (Photo by: Mitchell Wilston)Look at that vertical! (Photo by: Mitchell Wilston)“What big teeth you have got!” (Photo by: Anna Ungar)Little lion struttin’ her stuff. (Photo by: Anna Ungar)Redefine the possibilities. (Photo by: Anna Ungar)The composers of “Diamonds in the Air,” Brittany Hicks and Chris Carmody, performed their original song about THON during an early timeout at the basketball game.Brooke, a THON sibling, snuggles with the Nittany Lion. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)FR captains hang out with THON children while enjoying Penn State’s game against Purdue. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)New best friends. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)These THON kids had to make sure that they were hanging out with a real, living Nittany Lion. (Photo by: Bobby Chen)He’s got your nose, Nittany Lion! (Photo by: Bobby Chen)As icing on the cake for this year’s THON Hoops, Penn State ended up defeating Purdue, 79-68, to pick up its third win in a row. The Nittany Lions hadn’t strung together a three-game conference winning streak since 2008.